Resentment is NOT a Transferable Quality!

Getting laid-off? Tough! Get over it!

Before you judge me as heartless; I've been through it myself. I was laid-off from what most people would consider to be a pretty exciting job as a television producer. Of course, I was young, full of piss and vinegar and at the time just thought this was another example of "the man" keeping me from my entitlements!

What an idiot!

With the benefit of hindsight I know that business owners and executives hate to lay people off. If nothing else putting people on the street marks a failure. Most business people take great pride in expanding their companies, not in contracting them. More importantly, despite the negative mythology most business people are caring and compassionate people who care about their employees.

A lay-off or downsizing usually means your company is in survival mode. They're doing what it takes to stay in business and their immediate priority will and should be the welfare of the people they can hold on to. You've got to move a long and take care of yourself.

You're likely going to scramble for a new job. The one overwhelming piece of advice I can give you is to take your talents and abilities with you, and leave any resentment with the other crap you left in your desk when they gave you the pink slip!

When you're asked about your previous employment be succinct, honest and positive. Tell your potential new employer how much you appreciated the opportunities you had at your last job. Share examples of how your previous boss helped you grow and develop your talents and abilities. Say that you wish you could have stayed, but that you understand the difficult decisions that every business has to make when things get lean.

I vividly remember the moment I was called in to the office and told that I'd be laid-off. I have to say that my supervisors handled it with caring and compassion within appropriate decorum. That didn't necessarily mitigate feelings of confusion, disappointment, worry and yes; some resentment at the time. There were some people who broke down in tears; others who responded with open anger and hostility. I'm very grateful my mother taught me to handle a moment like this with restraint and dignity.

My supervisors gave me letters of recommendation, provided references and even passed my name along to other employers in their networks. Do you think they did that for the people who got pissed off and screamed at them?

My best friend at that job took me out to breakfast later that morning. He said that this wasn't the worst day of my life; it was the best. It took a while to realize it, but he was right! For me this marked the beginning of my life as an entrepreneur. Who knows what incredible adventures lay ahead of you?

There will be feelings of resentment, confusion, betrayal and doubt. Leave that all behind and look forward to your next opportunity…it's there for the taking!

 

Jim Bouchard is America's Black Belt Powervator: Speaker, coach & author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER!

Facing a lay-off? Click here for a complimentary PowerCOACHING session! Jim will help you take inventory of where you are now and help you plot a course toward your next success!

We’ve Become Weaklings!

We did it to ourselves. We've been whining, complaining and bitching about life even while we were drowning in abundance. We've been satisfied with enough and forgot that for everyone to have enough you've got to have enough to give; and that means more.

We've surrendered our government by the people to egotists, career politicians and deal brokers. There are good people in government, but when they stand up we shout them down, condemn them as nuts and vote for celebrities with more charisma. We deify leaders who tell us what we want to hear and we vilify leaders who hold to ideals despite the cost to their own reputations.

Only last week one prominent congressional leader said that we had better not let our ideals stand in the way of what he considered necessary action. I want you to take a minute and think about that statement. Let's not let ideals, values and principles stand in the way of doing something even if what we're doing might be wrong and might not work. And we're wondering why we're in our current situation?

Before you start thinking I'm going on some right-wing tirade, listen: I'm not talking right or left, republican or democrat, and I'm not advocating for some bi-partisan Disneyland either. What I'm saying is that we're taking it up the butt from people who want to stay in power. I actually understand and respect their ambition; what I loathe is that we're letting them get away with it.

Government by the people means it's up to the people to take care of the government; not the other way around.

Too many of you assume that the President or the Congress or some fictitious bi-partisan synergy of the two controls the economy. It just ain't so. You control the economy. You control it with your decisions to buy or not to buy. Look how you scared the oil speculators who were betting on the fact that you wouldn't stop driving when gas hit $4.00 a gallon. The government didn't limit the price of oil, and OPEC was getting ready to drive the price up. You knocked the price of oil down.

Too many of you are waiting for the government to save the economy, or at least your little piece of it. The government is not going to put money back in your 401K or save your job. Unfortunately, neither is the government going to punish the crooks that plundered your hard-earned; it's too much of an inside job.

Enough bitching and moaning; it's time to do something. It's time to stand up and be powerful.

• I'm sorry you lost your savings; I did too. I'm pissed off! Focus on earning it back and then some. If you're already at retirement age I truly am sorry; help us hang the villains that robbed you of what you truly earned; don't take this lying down.
  
  
• Learn more about how the financial markets really work. Learn to recognize scams and deals too good to be true. Learn to manage your investments and control your own retirement fund. Even the so-called experts are now saying you shouldn't listen to them; don't!
  
  
• Invest in yourself! Start a business; full-time, part-time it doesn't matter. Do something to take more control of your destiny. Fortunes are made in recessions; find the opportunity.
  
  
• Stop worrying about anything you can't do anything about. Stop watching the news; blood sells but it doesn't help you get ahead. Focus on what you can do and stop listening to people telling us the world is coming to an end. Plan for the end of the world and you're going to have a problem when you wake up tomorrow and it's still here!
  
  
• Become powerful! Power is your ability or capacity to perform or act effectively; simple, not easy. Become more effective, that's how you increase your value. Leverage that value in new and creative ways. Go out and actively look for new opportunities before someone else puts you on the street.
  
  
• Don't wait for the lay-off or the downsizing. Fire them, don't let them fire you! You do this by continually learning, expanding your talents and abilities and increasing your power and value. Create your next opportunity now!
  

I don't care if you come from the depths of poverty or you were born with a silver spoon shoved down your throat. In fact, if you don't have anything right now you've got an advantage! Take a chance; what have you really got to lose? If you're someone who is getting tossed out of the ivory tower you're about to start on the greatest adventure of your life.

We've become weak; we've got to get to the gym! Think like a black belt! Get tough and do not surrender. Decide right now that you're going to do whatever it takes to create your vision of personal and professional success & happiness. Do it with honor and righteousness; success with honor is lasting.

I'm not willing to surrender; I'm not done yet! I'm not waiting around for economic salvation or bail-out. Who do they think they are anyway? Their generosity is amazing when they're spending our money! Quit and you may live, you may even be safe and comfortable for a while. Just remember, salvation has a price too; you pay for salvation with fear, doubt and complacency.

• Fear: Will anyone really save me and when?
  
• Doubt: It's getting worse and nobody seems to be coming!
  
• Complacency: I give up! I'll accept mediocrity and weakness; I can't do anything about it anyway.
  

Is that any way to live?

No, I'm putting boots to the ground and going for it. I don't want safety; I want success. Success requires action and action comes with risk. I'd rather risk failure on my own than mortgage my life for salvation at the hands of others.

 

Jim Bouchard is America's Black Belt Powervator: speaker, coach and author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER. Find more POWER at JimBouchard.org!

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